Are you a collector or a user?

Collector or User?

  • Collector

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  • User

    Votes: 0 0.0%
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donscpoo said:
I m both a user and a collector. My LC is a user and the FK I preordered is going to be a user too.

Most of my knives are keepers as I find it troublesome to sell. Fortunately, most of them have performed fairly well. There are some that I will never use as they are collector pieces.



Don
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Ah Don, this is how most of us collectors are. We have knifes to use of course, but what differentiates us is we have some most certainly we intend never to use for cutting.
 
I have to admit I'm both, purchase one to use and one "just in case", so far have not needed the extra but it's there.
 
Certainly there are many who only regard a knife for it's use - and of that, a small subgroup of user purists who are vocal about their disdain for those who delight in the act of collecting knives. But whether high end or low end knifes, some ultimately become pieces of history. There is more to consider than the roles of user and collector. And a guy named Jerry Fisk (if you don't know who he is, he is history, google him), whose words (cut/paste) I had to leave in context, convey it best, IMHO:

"I agree he was probally the best modern maker that we had in 200 years.

The thing is to me, Bob, looking from my eyes, is that some of you folks are caretakers of some of his work. If all is hidden then part will die with time. Work has to be shown to be appreciated even if done without anyone knowing who owns it. I do not know of a modern maker that can do something on the level of this piece. None.

For this I am glad that you are showing this piece it will inspire both makers and people who collect.

I set Buster up to come and teach at the ABS school a class for silver sheath making. At the time the ABS board said no because he was not an ABS mastersmith which was a requirement. I asked them is Buster not a master? I paid for his ABS dues out of my own pocket so it satisfied the board, then I took his class which was the intention all along, for me to learn what I could from him. I am glad I did."

There are many reasons to collect all sorts of things but IMHO collecting allows unused objects to remain pristine so that some small number of examples will become future history. In that regard, for me the spirit of collecting often involves, just as Jerry Fisk mentioned above, a strong element of caretaker attitude. My collection isn't similar in any way to Nathan's knives, but when I first saw his 8" shiv and learned a bit about the process, I knew I had to have it, and one of everything that followed or was prior to. And for the same reason. I see something here that feels important. And a complete, unblemished record of it, in the form of knives, must be maintained. So I am a caretaker - and the collector.
 
There are definitely some knives that I collect. But these, I would use....if I had one. :(
A Heavy Chopper would get serious use every summer...and occasionally winter too.
 
I tend to be more of a collector, but I don't buy crap. I don't want to have to worry about something breaking or not being up to it if I need to use it. I definitely have knives I'll use, but just overall more on the collector side
 
betzner said:
Certainly there are many who only regard a knife for it's use - and of that, a small subgroup of user purists who are vocal about their disdain for those who delight in the act of collecting knives. But whether high end or low end knifes, some ultimately become pieces of history. There is more to consider than the roles of user and collector. And a guy named Jerry Fisk (if you don't know who he is, he is history, google him), whose words (cut/paste) I had to leave in context, convey it best, IMHO:

"I agree he was probally the best modern maker that we had in 200 years.

The thing is to me, Bob, looking from my eyes, is that some of you folks are caretakers of some of his work. If all is hidden then part will die with time. Work has to be shown to be appreciated even if done without anyone knowing who owns it. I do not know of a modern maker that can do something on the level of this piece. None.

For this I am glad that you are showing this piece it will inspire both makers and people who collect.

I set Buster up to come and teach at the ABS school a class for silver sheath making. At the time the ABS board said no because he was not an ABS mastersmith which was a requirement. I asked them is Buster not a master? I paid for his ABS dues out of my own pocket so it satisfied the board, then I took his class which was the intention all along, for me to learn what I could from him. I am glad I did."

There are many reasons to collect all sorts of things but IMHO collecting allows unused objects to remain pristine so that some small number of examples will become future history. In that regard, for me the spirit of collecting often involves, just as Jerry Fisk mentioned above, a strong element of caretaker attitude. My collection isn't similar in any way to Nathan's knives, but when I first saw his 8" shiv and learned a bit about the process, I knew I had to have it, and one of everything that followed or was prior to. And for the same reason. I see something here that feels important. And a complete, unblemished record of it, in the form of knives, must be maintained. So I am a caretaker - and the collector.
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nicely said, Bob! And kudos to Nathan for attracting you to his work! That says a lot right there.

collecting knives stresses me out- I feel a sense of responsibility when a stain or pit forms on a blade. Still, keeping a small collection of inspiring knives has really done wonders for my design work, vis a vis inspiration. It's relatively affordable 'tuition', that I can always cash in on when times get tight.
 
DeathbySnooSnoo said:
I've missed the sales...I work and sleep odd hours and just haven't managed it yet. Plus....really kind of holding out a little for a heavy chopper.
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Yeah, i think the heavy chopper is in the history books or at least back burner... you might be able to snap one that's out there but I'd say you'd have to be pretty quick on it. With only a few out there I'd think it'd get picked up really quickly if one comes up
 
Buy all my knives to use, but have some that get used more then others. But i make an excuse to get them all out eventually. Kind of like my hunting knives. One for gutting deer, one for skinning, one for processing, one for ducks/geese, upland and etc haha. So i guess i have roles for most of my knives and that's how they get used. One or two would work just fine, but variety is the spice of life.
 
I love to use. It can take awhile with some knives before I use them, especially customs but eventually the temptation gets the better of me.
 
"My names Dudley, and I'm a hopeless Collector." [emoji17]

Nathan was very kind and allowed me to use his 'personal' knives to beat on things with.....now I know how mine will perform, if I ever use them. [emoji6][emoji12]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Dawkind said:
"My names Dudley, and I'm a hopeless Collector." [emoji17]

Nathan was very kind and allowed me to use his 'personal' knives to beat on things with.....now I know how mine will perform, if I ever use them. [emoji6][emoji12]
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Very kind indeed. No reason not to pick up a second one as a user!
 
User and collector. I will use a knife until I use a different knife, then the first knife goes in the drawer for an undetermined amount of time. I do have knives that I will not cut anything with but I have more knives that are beat the hell up!

I used to watch my grandpa pull out his old case pocket knife and run it across a stone a couple of times on each side before he cut with it. He did this every time he went to use his pocket knife. I have that knife now and I watched that blade go from brand new to a sliver of metal. I think that is the coolest looking knife that I own. The edge is probably a 1/16th- 1/8th" from the fingernail groove.
 
^^^ A collection as a record of works or a collection as memory of good times/experiences are both equally needed. Good stuff!
 
The only knife I have that isn't already used is a backup BK20 in the worst case that I break the first one I got.

Every other knife I own was purchased to be used and has been, guess that makes me a user.
 
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